Charleston, South Carolina – There’s a quiet bend along the Cooper River where Spanish moss hangs like lace over centuries of Charleston history, and some believe it appears haunted.
But take a closer look, and you’ll discover something far more beautiful than eerie: Magnolia Cemetery, a nationally listed site where art, architecture, and memory intersect beneath ancient oak trees.
Beverly Donald has been caring for this sacred place for over four decades, first as director and now as trustee.
“I’ve never, ever seen a ghost,” Donald says, laughing. “God says that if someone tells you that they saw a ghost, they are lying. So I do not believe in ghosts.”
Magnolia’s narrative goes deep into Charleston’s past. The land was passed down from the King of England to plantation owners, revolutionaries, and Civil War soldiers before becoming Charleston’s first rural cemetery in 1850.
“There were about six businessmen,” Donald explains. “They felt it would be extremely profitable to construct a cemetery. So they looked for property and agreed on here.”
Families have wandered the meandering walkways for generations, beginning with trolley rides to Sunday picnics among the monuments. Today, visitors still pause and pray at headstones that chronicle the stories of Olympians, warriors, and ordinary Charlestonians, each name engraved in marble and legacy maintained.
Donald’s niece, Nancy Webster, is carrying on his legacy as the cemetery’s operations manager.
“It’s one of the most beautiful cemeteries I’ve ever been in,” Webster tells me. “Whether it’s taking care of families in their time of need or caring for their lot so they have somewhere beautiful to come, that just always has to be our primary goal.”
Magnolia is still an active burial place and a living museum of Charleston’s past, with history whispering through the rustling leaves and memories lingering in the Lowcountry air.
“You can have monuments out here that are 150 years old and newer monuments that have been put in more recently,” according to Webster. “And they all blend beautifully.”
So, while some may regard Magnolia as haunted, those who know it intimately see something quite different: a place of love, legacy, and family that continues to watch over Charleston.
Magnolia Cemetery is open to the public on a daily basis and admission is free. Donations assist to keep the grounds in good condition and preserve Charleston’s history for future generations.
